Leaf on the Wind
by breadfly
Summary: After a significant battle, Lee finds himself in possession of a mysterious talisman belonging to a certain Sand nin. How difficult could it be to return it? Post Sasuke Retrieval. LeeGaara. UPDATED! CHAPTER FIVE UP! LEE ARRIVES IN SUNAGAKURE!
1. The Curse

Leaf on the Wind

If there's one thing Lee knew, it was this - he must return to Sunagakure. At once! He fingered the talisman in his hands and considered his options.

One, he could disguise himself as a medicant traveller and sneak into the Hidden Village. It wouldn't be complicated; he could pretend to be a textile merchant (there were those fifty new green tights Guy had bought for him - as birthday presents. He could definitely spare one or two). Then, he would simply drop this talisman somewhere near the shinobi academy and fly right back to Konoha.

Of course, that would mean missing a week of training (Terrible!) without a decent excuse (Despicable!). And there was the possibility the talisman would fall into the wrong hands. Pass!

Two, he could strain his ears for news of Suna. If there was trouble (Hidden Villages were particularly prone), he could suggest a mission. That would make the trip perfectly legitimate and, what's more, he might meet face to face with the boy himself.

Of course, that would mean incessant sneaking and bribing (Deplorable!) and getting his precious teammates - who were already highly suspicious of anything he did - into a situation that had absolutely nothing to do with (Unthinkable!). That would have to be a pass too.

Three - and this was the most desperate - he could entrust it to another shinobi, someone who actually had a valid reason to be in Suna.

Of course, well, of course not!

Lee sighed and sat on a wooden bench, gently cursing the round, golden object in his hands. Why did the baka go leave this expensive looking thing under the tree anyway? Did he not value his own existence? Lee knew very little about shiny things but this one looked decidedly special.

He pocketed it with another deep sigh. At least it was heavy - it would be quite a waste to carry it around otherwise.


	2. The Silver Lining

"Ah, just who I was looking for - Lee-san, today is your lucky day!" A spirited feminine voice two pitches too high jolted Lee from his gloom and the boy jumped to his feet immediately.

"We're going to Suna? Really?!" He looked around and found a blonde girl with a high, fierce pigtail standing before him, her right eyebrow cocked quizzically.

"Huh? I need you to deliver these flowers, baka!" Ino slapped Lee on the head and stuffed a voluptuous, technicoloured bouquet into his outstretched arms.

"To...Suna?"

"What's all this Suna nonsense? I need you to give these to Sakura!" She gave him a devilishly grin, "Good favour, no." She frowned - the boy's zoned out expression hadn't changed one bit. "Hey, Lee-san, are you feeling okay? Otherwise, I can always entrust these to Naruto..."

"I'LL DELIVER THESE BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK!" He cried, snapping out of his stupor and charging helter-skelter down the road. Ino coughed in the dust storm he kicked up and shook her head. _Boys, _she sighed._  
_

As Lee sprinted past horse carts, street hawkers and stray dogs (everything was a large blur so, for he all knew, they might have been dog carts, street horses and stray hawkers), he mentally bashed himself. "What's wrong with me today. I should be jumping for joy at a fantastic opportunity like this!" Almost emphatically he leapt into the air, colliding unceremoniously with a laundry-laden bamboo pole.

"A THOUSAND APOLOGIES!" He bellowed. But, really, had he actually been crestfallen for a moment there? He silently cursed the talisman. That damn pendant, I bet it has some Fiendish Magical Powers That Make Me Not Excited At The Thought Of Lovely Sakura. The sooner he returned it, the better.

Before Ino could blink - approximately 2.45 seconds later - Lee was standing in front of the Haruno Apartment. It was on the second floor of a rather sad looking shophouse; a cosy three room space with a wooden door.

Lee cleared his throat and rapped the door. The wind chime above it rang tunefully in response. "Sakura-chan! I've brought your flowers!"

There was a shuffle and the sound of a key in a lock. Sakura opened the door to find two-legged bouquet of flowers standing before her. The flowers emitted a strong, sweet smell.

"Wow, that's quite a handful." She noticed the green tights and blushed, "Lee-san... is that you?"

"Hai, Sakura-chan!" He thrust the flowers to where he hoped her hands were. And, almost reluctantly, "These...are from Ino."

"Oh right, of course, I needed these for some potions. Goodness, she could have wrapped them less extravagantly. A bouquet is completely overdoing things!" She took the flowers carefully from Lee and placed them onto a nearby table, giving the young shinobi a grateful smile, "Thanks so much for bringing them over - I hope it didn't take too much of your time."

"Certainly not!" He pumped, enthusiastically, "Anything for you, my dearest Sakura-chan!" He executed a flamboyant bow, making the girl blush even harder.

"Really, anything at all?"

"Without hesitation! Your word is my command!"

"Well... there _is_ something..." Sakura gazed at her toes and drew a small circle with them, "You see, I'll be extremely busy these next few weeks...but I'm supposed to accompany Tsunade-sama on official business. She wont let me go unless I find a suitable replacement." She looked up and fixed Lee with desperate eyes, "Would you accompany Tsunade-sama to Suna for the Kazekage Induction in my place?"

She frowned - the boy's zoned out expression hadn't changed one bit. She waved a hand in front of his face, "Lee-san, are you alright. Otherwise, I can always ask Naruto..."

"I'LL BE THERE BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK!"


	3. The Mystery

Gaara sat at his late-father's desk leafing through a stack of mouldy reports. It was incredible the amount of junk Kages received on a daily basis: mission requests, bills, Icha-Icha mail order forms. At last he found what he was looking for - a letter pad, stamped with the official Sunagakure seal. According to protocol, he was allowed to invite a total of five shinobi from the allied lands - including Konoha - as onlookers for the Kazekage Induction, barring, of course, the Hokage and her personal assistants.

Useless, he thought, Because I can only think of two. He tore off a single sheet of paper, scribbled a brief invitation and slipped it into an envelope marked 'Uzumaki Naruto'. He sealed the envelope with a dab of wet sand and made a mental note to hail a courier ninja.

It would be unnecessary to send the second one.

---

It would be autumn soon - not that you could tell in a desert. The only clues of the change in season was the slight dip in the temperature and the shortening of the days. There was no one about save a handful of sullen-looking vendors so Gaara decided to take a walk.

There was a time he hated the streets of Suna; their dirt and dust-storms, the frenetic haggling between barters, the steady, hypnotic scratch of sandals against baked Earth. It reminded him of life - the raw, uninhibited pulse of it; everything he was not.

And, of course, for much of his childhood, there had been an assassin in almost every one.

"Gaara." A familiar, somewhat hesitant, voice called from the back and Gaara stopped.

"Yes, what is it, Kankuro?"

"The elders...have summoned you. Sounds serious."

"Everything sounds serious to you." Gaara half-turned and fixed his brother with an inexplicable stare. The older boy didn't know if that was a threat or a taunt and gulped reflexively. "Something about a missing talisman, Gaara...sama."

"I'll be there," Gaara took a step forward, "You are dismissed." There was a gust of wind and the older boy was gone.

So it was serious after all.

---

"I hope you understand, Gaara-sama. We do not wish to _offend _you in anyway, but it would be quite impossible for us to proceed with the Induction without the Union Medallion." The elder finished bluntly, trying his hardest not to look intimidated by the young, but terribly menacing, shinobi before him.

It has a name, Gaara thought absently.

"No, I don't understand." His reply was curt, bored.

"The Union Medallion is an extremely powerful talisman, your...Highness," The elder's eyes turned bright, "It has been passed down from for generations, from each Kazekage to the next in line, come Induction. It is an item of immense and terrifying significance"

"Well, what does it do?" Gaara asked, an unmistakable drawl in his voice. He knew, of course, but it would be funny to hear the wizened man explain it.

"The Union Medallion and ONLY the Union Medallion can help us and the Kazekage choose a suitable consort!" The elder thundered while the rest of their council bowed their heads in acknowledgement.

Gaara's eyes widened momentarily, "Now, how in the deserts does it do that?"

The elder's eyes were livid and he appeared extremely torn between a desire to reproach the boy on the spot and fear from what could happen should he try. Barely containing himself, he rose to his feet and raised a finger, "Your respectful highness, Sir, I must implore you not to question the sanctity and power of the Union Medallion. Some say... it is older than the desert itself!"

Now that, Gaara thought, is impossible.

"Igoku-sama," Gaara said, calmly, "I am a boy of thirteen. A consort is unnecessary." There was a flurry of hushed whispers and Igoku raised a hand.

"Gaara...sama, let me explain. Taking a consort is a highly _symbolic_ gesture: accepting as your wife a woman chosen by the desert itself signifies our allegiance to it and its allegiance to us. This is an age old alliance that we must not disturb!" There was fire in the old man's eyes. "Certainly, we do not expect you to bear a heir immediately," he added, as an afterthought.

"The desert chooses, you say," Gaara continued, "And the Union Medallion is its tool."

"Yes, that is right."

"Well then, since the Medallion is missing..." Gaara crossed his arms over his chest, "I can only think of two possibilities. Either the desert has decided that I am to be without consort or...it has chosen one already."

With that, he turned and walked calmly out of the chamber.


	4. The Feeling

_Note: Just a message to all who are following this fic - do leave a review and tell me how you like it so far (some encouragement won't hurt)! Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! Sorry, but i won't be releasing any spoilers at this point in time... though updates should be speedy so you wont have to wait long!  
_

* * *

Lee had no idea how he felt when, during a particularly gruelling 10km morning run around Konoha, he crashed into a courier ninja and, upon hastily assisting the shaken shinobi to his feet with a thousand apologies and a bow found, in the ninja's hands, a letter, hastily signed, from the soon-to-be Kazekage Gaara inviting, to the Kazekage Induction, none other than that eternal _baka_ Uzumaki Naruto.

This happened in the space of perhaps three seconds.

"Gaara invited NARUTO?!!?" He thundered, causing the ninja to topple over once more.

"I wouldn't know, sir... courier ninja do not read the mail we carry." The man replied hastily, clearly wanting no trouble, "Please hand the letter over... or I will have to take it back by force!"

For a moment, Lee simply stared at the letter and finally felt some sort of emotion rise within him. He spent the next few moments trying to find a name for it: anger (no, not quite), grief (what ever for?), confusion (well, certainly, but it shouldn't be this strong), hurt, irritation, passion, melancholy, shock, bewilderment...

"Sir, the letter please..."

"Wait, can you hold on 2.35 seconds while i figure something out."

Irritation, suspense, vexation, rage, the bittersweet symphony of a thousand traumatized heartbeats, joy, poignance, envy...that's it, envy! The moment he confirmed the feeling, it grew stronger by a thousandfold, creating a tight angry knot in his chest.

But exactly why am i feeling envious?

"Sir..."

"Another 2.57 seconds!"

That blasted talisman! I daresay it made me think that i had some kind of special bond with that Sand nin! It made me wish i had been invited to the Induction! Yes, that's the only possible reason. It's like in that movie about some ring or something, how the ring was trying to find its master... that talisman's creating all these strange feelings in me because it _wants_ to go back to Sunagakure!

"Here you go!" Lee handed the letter back (2.57s later) with a triumphant smile, "It's pointless to deliver it anyway. Uzumaki Naruto is not in Konoha."

The courier ninja shrugged and pocketed the letter, "Not my business. Have a good day sir!" The man took two steps, bent his knees and flew off, leaving a troubled Lee rooted to the spot, his momentary elation giving way, slowly but surely, to that strange, brooding envy.

---

"YOU?!" Tsunade, fifth Hokage, who was lately beginning to feel quite her fifty-something years, nearly spat a whole pint of sake at the innocuously-beaming shinobi before her, "YOU are accompanying ME to Suna?!"

Lee backed off two paces, a large sweatdrop forming at the tip of one large, bushy eyebrow, "Is there...a problem, Tsunade-sama?"

There was a tense moment of silence.

"No, no of course not!" Tsunade waved and closed the report she was looking at with a sigh, "It just seemed strange to me that Sakura would approach you, of all people..."

"She would have asked Naruto," Lee quipped quickly, "If I hadn't accepted." Upon speaking the word 'Naruto', Lee's envy swelled once again and he quickly punched it down.

A vein burst in Tsunade's right temple. "WHAT?!?! I must have a word with that girl!"

She looked at Lee again, with a somewhat kinder expression, "I guess this is the lesser of two evils. Anyway, I don't doubt you'll do a competent job as my escort. It's just that, in my opinion - and please don't quote me on this -, Kage Inductions are a colossal waste of time. The actual ceremony can last up to five hours... i'm not sure if you'll be able to take it." She raised an eyebrow. Lee had a reputation of being...twitchy.

"It will be excellent training for me!" Lee exclaimed, slamming a fist into his palm, "I will definitely not disappoint you!"

Strange, Tsunade thought, The last time i sent him on a mission to oversee a wedding in Itakagure, he run back screaming for mercy. She shook away the memory, "I'm glad to hear it. Please report here tomorrow morning at seven sharp. You are dismissed."

"Hai!" Lee backed away respectfully and gave an inward sigh of relief. He had been worried for a moment that Tsunade might actually reject him (he was almost completely convinced it _couldn't_ happen though - not with the talisman in charge!).

On his way out, he glimpsed, on a tall stack of untouched mail, the very same letter he had snatched from the courier ninja that morning.

Lee frowned before realising: Of course. The ninja couldn't find Naruto - so he entrusted it to the Godaime. Knowing the Godaime, though, that letter would soon be buried and forgotten. With that thought, he quickly exited before the envious part of could make any form of inappropriate emotion response.

_Seven, tomorrow morning..._

_ --- _

"I've put a barrier around this room - its completely safe and soundproof," Kankuro whispered, turning to the tall, curvacious figure staring idly out the window. "Now we can talk." It was dark outside, the sky a curtain of stars. The figure turned about and arched a well-shaped eyebrow.

"Will you stop being so scared already? Its not like he can hear us or even _cares_ to hear. And, besides, his mood has lifted considerably since our last mission - or have you been too busy staring at your toes to notice," Temari laughed a fierce laugh and her brother bristled.

"Cut it out, will you? If I recall, you weren't this flippant two months ago... when he was a creepy psychopath." Kankuro said, still whispering, "And he's still a creepy psychopath to me."

It runs in the family, Temari thought sardonically. "Anyway, you certainly didn't call me here to discuss our brother's mental state, did you? Out with it, what do the elders want now?"

"They want us to retrive the Union Medallion."

"The Union what?"

"Medallion. It's a talisman that..." Kankuro sighed. It was a pain having a smart-ass for a sister, "_Apparently_ helps the desert choose a wife...for the Kazekage. All the Suna females line up in some sort of ceremony and it...er... points to the appropriate one. Something like that."

Temari's eyes widened, "That has to be the stupidest thing i've ever heard." She rolled her eyes, "And, besides, Gaara's only _thirteen_. I'm not sure he -"

"I swear they're dead serious about this," Kankuro said, between gritted teeth, "They think its been stolen." He crossed his arms and sat on the edge of a futon.

"Wait, let me guess." Temari tilted her head to a side, "Absolute secrecy, barrier-sealed room, hushed, frightened tones - they think _Gaara_ stole the Medallion and we are to steal it back."

Kankuro nodded, looking terribly grim. "Right under the nose of that psychopath."

"Which is why you called me. Because you can't do it alone."

"Whatever, Temari."

"It's hopeless anyway."

"What?!"

"Think about it, little sis," Temari walked up to her brother, "If Gaara did steal it, it would be suicide to try to get it back. He's a creepy psychopath, remember?"

"See, you're scared too."

"Not scared. Realistic. But, if Gaara _didn't_ steal it - then we're in even worst danger."

"What do you mean?"

"_Think about it_. The only other person who could have stolen the Medallion... would be some girl who actually wants to _marry _Gaara."

"Holy -"

"Clearly a suicide case. We'd have to track down that girl immediately and prevent any bloodshed."

"But if Gaara _did_ take it..."

"Then we have to switch strategies." Temari's eyes lit up dangerously. "It's obvious why Gaara would want to steal that thing."

There was a moment of suspense, which Temari dispelled with a callous shrug, "We'll have to warm him up to the idea of marriage." She said it easily, like it was the simplest thing in the world.


	5. The Arrival

One of the little known powers of Shukaku - and the one that Gaara would most sorely miss after the tussle with Akatsuki that forcefully separated the demon from him forever - was the ability to alert Gaara the moment someone stepped a foot into the desert. That was how Gaara came to know, at noon, that the Konoha retinue had arrived in Sunagakure.

The Hokage and five escorts - one of whom was, of course, the bowl-haired boy Gaara knew would come and hence did not need to invite. Naruto was not with them.

Gaara sat down at the edge of his futon and brought a cup of warm liquid to his lips, thinking. Naruto must have left for training; he was sure the gregarious boy would never have rejected an invitation from him. In another lifetime, they might have been brothers.The last time they fought, the boy had attempted to help him conquer himself.

Very bold, Gaara thought, in his quiet, clinical way. Worthy of respect.

His thoughts drifted and he took another sip. The bowl-haired, bushy-browed boy was utterly different, though. With Lee, he had felt no trace of kinship - this boy had no skeletons, no burning desire for recognition; he had fought simply for a love of fighting, out of respect for both himself and his opponent.

The first time they met, they _had _been opponents. The boy had been the first person to fight him with the intention of defeating but not killing him. Gaara had responded to the boy's grace and courage with rage and bloodlust.

Humiliating, Gaara thought, in retrospect. Fighting without honour and pride - it will not happen again.

And, against all odds, Lee had lived. He was the first shinobi Gaara had failed to kill. He had recovered from the life-threatening injuries Gaara himself had inflicted and, as soon as he could, rushed to the aid a boy he neither liked nor respected, who had betrayed the village he loved.

And why? Gaara had thought, as he raced, unthinking, to the scene of a battle he knew Lee was sure to lose without his help, Why did he do it?

The answer only came to him after the fight was over and they were resting beneath a tree, talking about life. It was the reason he left the talisman where he had, for Lee and only Lee to find.

**Lee loved himself** and, because of it, had limitless love to give to everything else - his teammates and opponents, his senseis and juniors, his village and, the rest of the world.

I_ncluding me_, Gaara thought, somewhat amused. Though I only showed him death and despair. Lee defeated me without even fighting. The smile he had begun to form faded at the thought.

_You can only give what you yourself have._ Gaara lifted a hand slowly to the tattoo on his forehead. It was a light bruise with a heavy meaning he had only just begun to understand.

Gaara walked to the window and was just able to make out the Konoha shinobi approaching on the horizon. It was a clear day of merciless sunlight. A beautiful day.

_I don't love myself_, Gaara mouthed to the wind_. I don't know how_. And, for the first time in his life, Gaara felt inexplicably sad.

---

Within twenty paces out of his home, Kankuro realised the situation was dire. Word had got out that the Union Medallion had disappeared and - to his complete disbelief - the news had galvanised the majority of the village girls into some kind of nationwide Treasure Hunt; groups of girls were perched on stone benches, pouring over newspapers and some had started to put up "advertisements".

Kankuro tore one from a nearby lampost. "Union Medallion, please pick me (!!!!11): Yuki Sansuno, Chunin, 16, 4 Tembaku Lane!" He crushed it up in disgust.

The Elders were enraged, less because of the fact that the Medallion had disappeared than the fact that people seemed to be treating it as some kind of frivolous love charm.

Kankuro shook his head and muttered darkly. Either these girls were power hungry and willing to do anything - _suffer_ anything - to be a Kazekage's wife or...because they actually found his brother-

Kankuro swore audibly and refused to complete his train or thought and, as was usually the case at times like this, Gaara materialized right before him.

"You look troubled, aniki," He remarked, tonelessly.

Kankuro's eyes snapped up and they narrowed. For a moment, he forgot to be fearful - or even amazed that Gaara had actually referred to him as "aniki" - and simply growled, "I suppose you're happy about all this then."

"No," Gaara frowned, "I find the entire Union Medallion issue irrelevant to the Induction."

Just like Gaara to completely disregard the enviable position of being No. 1 Bishounen in all of Suna, Kankuro thought testily, Which should be me, anyway. The older boy could no longer hold it in and, in fact, didn't care if he was blasted to smithereens, "Be honest, Gaara, did you take the Medallion?"

Gaara's frown deepened and Kankuro immediately regretted his brief moment of hurt ego, "Are you accusing me of theft?"

"No! I mean -" But Gaara raised a hand and let his lids fall. When he r-eopened them, his eyes looked kinder, "Yes, I did."

There was a awkward moment of silence between the two boys and, since there had been no bloodshed - yet, Kankuro figured he could venture just a little bit deeper.

"Gaara... otouto..." No frown, good. "Why...did you do it?"

"Steal the Medallion?"

"Yes." A knot welled in Kankuro's throat and he pushed it down. Maybe Temari was right; it was embarassing to be frightened of a younger brother. He conveniently forgot 'creepy psychopath'. "Why... don't you want to get married?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Was this a trick question? "Yes."

"I don't know how to love."

What the hell is he talking about? Kankuro squirmed a little, "But...the Kazekage marriage isn't about love, is it? I mean, from what the Elders said..."

"Alliance between us and the desert, desert and us. I've heard it and I don't believe it." Gaara blinked, "Do you?"

Kankuro couldn't believe he was having this conversation. There he was, Karasu strapped to his back and ready for action, a fanatic yellow page in his hands and there was his brother, sand gourd visible from behind his right shoulder, dark circles around a pair of unfathomable eyes, legs apart, arms crossed...and they were talking about chicks? Which _was_ what marriage was about right?

Shit.

"I don't know, Gaara. I've never thought about it... love, I mean."

"We don't. Not you, myself, Temari, father - our family doesn't love. Not even that. We don't know what it is."

"...Right. But... you see... marriage is different..." A shiver ran down Kankuro's spine when he realised he was, unwittingly, doing Temari's job for her.

"Father and mother got married without love. This is what happened." Gaara stared hard at Kankuro and the older boy realised his brother was talking about himself. "I don't want to get married."

Kankuro let out a muffled sigh, "Well, I can't argue with that." "No offense, of course," he added quickly. Gaara made no sign that he had taken any.

Relaxing his stance, Kankuro crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, "If you don't want marriage then, well, why don't you just destroy the Medallion? End this menagerie: these girls running around squealing and these disgusting" - he thrust the advertisement at Gaara and the boy took it, "Bulletins!"

Gaara read it, frowned and tossed the paper over his shoulders, "Not possible."

"What?"

Gaara shrugged, "I don't have it anymore. And I don't know where it is." A lie, Gaara thought, and the first one I've made. The realisation made him feel somewhat human - and was quickly banished. He turned and walked away from Kankuro, careful to choose a street devoid of girls of any sort.

Turning back, he gave his confused brother a small smile, "Anyway, it's quite enjoyable watching you suffer...aniki."

---

"We're finally at Suna!" Tsunade exclaimed with great relief, making a gesture that meant Lee should hand over a bottle of sake and a cup, "It hasn't changed one bit." Shizune led the entourage while two senior jounin guarded the rear. Against repeated protests, Tsunade had insisted that Lee was to remain in her sight for the entire journey - in the claustrophobic, rickety carriage.

I wouldn't know, Lee thought, looking out the carriage window at the great expanse of undulating, subdued sand. I've never been here before. He thought he noticed a few stalks of red in the midst of the harsh yellow. What a beautiful country! So youthful!

"What happens now, Tsunade-sama?" He asked carefully, fingering the talisman in his pocket and thinking of all the possible ways he could return it.

Tsunade turned to him with the weariness of a mother, "I've explained it twice, Lee, were you listening?" She repeated it anyway, "A few senior jounin will meet us at the gates and usher us to our quarters. The Induction is in two days so, until then, we may explore Suna - within respectable limits."

"Meaning no pubs and night clubs, that sort of thing?"

"Well certainly not for _you_!" Tsunade exclaimed, remembering Gai's emotional tale. But probably not for me either, she thought dourly.

"Understood! May I... visit the Academy then?" That would probably be where Gaara would be, if not on some inaccessible roof or killing something - not that Lee thought he was into that sort of thing anymore. Somehow, and Lee didn't know why, he was convinced Gaara was essentially a good person.

"I should think that wouldn't be difficult to arrange - as long as you don't -" Tsunade held back, realising that anything she mentioned next would put the idea in his head and consequently materialise against his noble intentions, "Never mind."

They were approaching the gates and Tsunade turned away from him, completely absorbed in her glass of sake. Lee squinted and was just able to make out six figures - five were tall and clearly in possession of the athletic built of battle-hardened shinobi but the last was short and pale - though hardly less menacing in stance.

Wait a moment.

Lee sharpened his vision with chakra just slightly and immediately recoiled. Impossible! He was either extremely lucky or -

"Tsunade-sama, I believe the senior jounin present to meet us - is none other than the soon-to-be Kazekage himself!"

"Gaara? Really?" Tsunade put down her sake and looked out the window, completely ignorant of the turbulent squall of emotions in the shinobi beside her. "Yes...I think you're right!"

No, I think I'm wrong! I _must_ be wrong! Lee thought desperately, grasping at the talisman just a little more frantically, I'm not prepared to meet him at all! He collapsed heavily against the carriage door - perhaps a little too heavily and, before he could it stop it, the door swung open, ejecting him forcefully into the hot desert air.

"Lee!" Tsunade cried, already forming hand seals.

"Lee!" Shizune cried, quickly bringing the carriage to a grating halt and leaping off her horse.

"Gaara!" Lee cried, holding the talisman tight in one hand and attempting to break his fall with the other. "I have your -"

"Don't say a word!" The harsh order, out of nowhere, was followed by a swift strike across his temples that sent the world reeling. There was a flash of sepia and the pressure of two strong arms beneath him, halting his descent. As everything turned to black, all Lee could remember was a pair of enigmatic blue eyes framed by dark, dark circles gazing into his own.


End file.
